Tsitsipas sets up Kyrgios clash with win

LONDON: Fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas romped into the third round at Wimbledon on Thursday with an accomplished 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Jordan Thompson under the roof on Court One.

The win set up a crowd-pleasing clash with another Australian, temperamental showman Nick Kyrgios. The 23-year-old Tsitsipas (Greece) displayed none of the jitters that lost him a set against qualifier Alexander Ritschard in the first round on Tuesday.

He remained on top of some punishing baseline rallies, breaking the Australian’s serve twice in each of the first two sets and taking the third when Thompson put a forehand long on his own serve at match point.

Thompson, ranked 76th in the world, has never beaten a top-10 player at a Grand Slam and was upset when the chair umpire overruled a line call, earning his opponent a break point in the seventh game of the second set.

He thumped a ball in frustration when Tsitsipas took the set while the Greek kept his cool and his tennis quality high.

Boulter knocks out 2021 runner-up Pliskova

British wildcard Katie Boulter sent last year’s runner-up Karolina Pliskova crashing out with a shock 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 win on Centre Court. Boulter, ranked 118th, had defeated Pliskova last week at Eastbourne and was too resolute for the powerful Czech again as she battled back from losing the first set.

She refused to be overpowered by the sixth seed and seized her chance by breaking serve at 4-4 in the deciding set. Boulter, 25, finished the match off in style with a volley to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time.

RESULTS (SELECTED):Men’s singles:Second Round: S Tsitsipas bt J Thompson 6-2, 6-3, 7-5; N Kyrgios bt F Krajinovic 6-2, 6-3, 6-1; L Broady bt D Schwartzman 6-2, 4-6, 0-6, 7-6(6), 6-1; T Fritz bt A Gray 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-3. Women’s singles: Second round: K Boulter bt K Pliskova 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4; H Tan bt S Sorribes Tormo 6-3, 6-4; J Pegula bt H Dart 4-6, 6-3, 6-1; I Swiatek bt L Kerkhove 6-4, 4-6, 6-3; V Golubic lost to B Krejcikova 3-6, 4-6; P Badosa bt I Bara 6-3, 6-2